poi

Summary: It's a chick flick with an amazing soundtrack, supplemented with important messages about what it means to be human.

I watched the film Across the Universe for the first time last night. It's okey, but was only half paying attention to it. I watched it again this afternoon and had a much stronger reaction. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The music was perfectly set, the plot intelligently conceived, and the message was undeniably beautiful. I think I need to share my thoughts about this film, and perhaps ramble about its current relevance to what I'm feeling recently hehe.

Some minor spoilers follow, but I don't think they'll ruin the plot...

The experience of Across the Universe was less trippy than I had expected. Sure, there are moments of warped psychadelic, trippy cinematography and inverted colors, but they correspond with plot elements in a manner that is neither indulgent or openly accepting of hallucinagenic drugs. Rather, they are simply elements of the culture of 40 years ago. And they work!

What impressed me most about Across the Universe was how a moving and coherent plot was formed from unrelated songs. Each piece of the Beatles' classic music is handled with reverence and care, and the movie could easily have been an original musical. This is not a musical revue for nostalgic Beatles enthusiasts. Each song was clearly chosen to further the plot, and adapted to suit the story in unique, often surprising ways. The message of the Beatles is also retained, with a strong emphasis on peace, love, happiness, and all those hippie things. But they are made fresh and relevant, with civil rights, tolerance, pacifism, activism, and fighting for what is right in the world being depicted in realistic ways with real consequences. Contrasting songs are made all the more powerful. The wonderfully carefree rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends" shows the social bliss of hanging out with your good college buddies, wrecking harmless havoc, and enjoying life. Conversely, the version of "Let it Be" was unexpectedly moving, showing the race riots of Detroit and the funeral for a fallen soldier killed in Vietnam. I very much enjoyed the depiction of the war and its anti-war movement, as each side was shown at times in a virtuous light and at others in a truly negative manner.

The handling of the time period and global events was done extremely well, but at its heart, Across the Universe is a romance. It's a chick flick with an amazing soundtrack, supplemented with important messages about what it means to be human. And the romance sucked me right in, right from Jude's heartfelt goodbye to his (annoying) girlfriend in Liverpool and Lucy's fawning over her soldier beau. When the two romantic leads met for the first time, the chemistry between the actors became apparent. There is a sweetness in their interactions, and a comfort level which ultimately makes their journey together all the more beautiful. It also helps that they each have phenomenal voices, from Jim Sturgess's Ewan MacGregor-esque straight-toned, haunting tenor to Evan Rachel Wood's absolutely genuine mezzo.

The supporting cast is incredible as well, and what a motley band of friends we meet! From Max to Sadie to Prudence to Bono's cameo as the psychedelic doctor, the film depicts the beauty of tightly-knit friendships in a way seldom demonstrated. They are realistic relationships, along the lines of Rent, You believe that these are best friends. Again, this is due entirely to the actors.

And the music. Although I dont really dig The Beatles, but it in a way made me dig them. I have watched, read, listened from others that they were revolutionary, genre-creating, culture-defying, and phenomenally talented, but I'm not much of a fan -- daw ka okey lang. But, if you listen to the Across the Universe versions of the songs on their own, you may prefer some of them to the original recordings. Every cast member has a fantastic voice. They got Joe Cocker, Bono, Eddie Izzard. And cameo. And it added context to the songs and by doing so, added a new dimension to each and every piece of music it included. In many ways, it made these classic songs even more powerful. And that is an epic feat.

I rarely encounter a film that I can't get out of my head. Across the Universe is such an incredible film on so many levels, and I don't even think I've realized how deep it goes. It's the kind of film to watch again and again and notice something new. It's the kind of movie that everybody needs to see.